<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>I Aorta Have Seen You Earlier by SpellCasterLight</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29352501">I Aorta Have Seen You Earlier</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpellCasterLight/pseuds/SpellCasterLight'>SpellCasterLight</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Mild Mentions of Blood, Mild Mentions of Rejection, NaruIno February 2021, Naruto AU Week 2021, alternative universe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 14:09:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,410</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29352501</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpellCasterLight/pseuds/SpellCasterLight</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Had this fantastic, selfless, entertaining boy really been sitting opposite her in class all these years and she hadn't noticed? Maybe she should book herself in for a vision test because she must be halfway to blind. [Naruto x Ino] Naruto AU Week - Day 4 Prompt: School</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Uzumaki Naruto/Yamanaka Ino</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Naruto AU Week 2021</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I Aorta Have Seen You Earlier</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto in any way shape or form. This story is purely for entertainment not profit.</p><p>Author's Notes: *Collective groan at the pun in the title* I know, I know, I'm ashamed of myself too xD</p><p>Another entry for Naruto AU Week day 4! Why is it when I go out of my way to write something short it always turns out not? xD I just wanted to write something short for the latest couple I'm sweet on!</p><p>Also counts as an entry for 'NaruIno February 2021'; score.</p><p>Pairing Warning: It also goes without saying but if [Naruto x Ino] isn't your thing turn back now.</p><p>Warnings: Alternative Universe. Mild Mentions of Rejection. Mild Mentions of Blood.</p><p>Naruto AU Week - Day 4 Prompt: School</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ino grimaced with everyone else as Sakura verbally smacked down the blonde boy in the middle of the school courtyard for asking her out again.</p><p>What Sakura seemed to constantly forget was that Naruto and Sasuke were best friends, if you insulted one you insulted the other, and Sasuke didn't particularly like the pink haired girl when she screamed at the Uzumaki, meaning he turned down her, causing a viscous cycle between the three.</p><p>The worst part? Ino had only figured that out recently herself. True she had never yelled at Naruto like Sakura was doing right now but she had hardly stood up for him when the pink haired girl tore him down either.</p><p>"What a drag, when is Naruto going to learn?" Shikamaru muttered from her right.</p><p>"Yeap," Choji add munching on a bag of crisps. "Sakura is never going to go out with him."</p><p>It was then that Ino said something she had never said before.</p><p>"Why are none of us stopping her?"</p><p>Shikamaru and Choji turned to her then, and Ino flicked her ponytail over her shoulder with her eyes narrowed in thought as she watched Sakura stomp away leaving Naruto standing there, head down looking broken.</p><p>"We always sit here and watch her yell at the poor boy, but we never do anything about it."</p><p>"Poor boy," Choji quoted back. "Since when do you care about Naruto?"</p><p>"Since now," the Yamanaka said slapping her knees and getting up and striding purposefully over to the boy.</p><p>When she was right in front of Naruto Ino felt her lips pull downwards at the truly injured look on his face, once again kicking herself for not stepping in sooner.</p><p>She word vomited the first thing that came to mind to say.</p><p>"Hey Naruto, wanna go out on Saturday?" She bit her lip and tilted her head to the side to avoid the truly gobsmacked look Naruto threw her way then. "You know, with me."</p><p>His face practically lit up in question and disbelief. "Wh-what?"</p><p>"Come on Naruto," the ponytailed girl said trying to sound light and teasing as she shifted her weight onto her other foot. "You heard me do you wanna go out or not? I mean, why not? It could be fun."</p><p>"Re-really?" Naruto turned to her then, all big blue eyes and white teethed smile. "You wanna go out with me?"</p><p>"You don't have to sound so <em>excited</em> Naruto," she said laughing lightly, looking around, no, no one was looking, the thought of eating at lunchtime a whole lot more inviting than watching them apparently. After Sakura finished yelling at him everyone must have thought the show was over. "I'm asking you on a date not giving you my kidney."</p><p>His grin only got wider. "I'd love to!"</p><p>The Yamanaka shrugged, it was no big deal, it was one dumb date they would laugh about in a few years from now.</p><p>"Okay cool so-"</p><p>"I have everything planned already!"</p><p>Ino blinked at that. "You do?"</p><p>"You'll love it Ino I promise!"</p><p>She kind of doubted that, but what did one lousy Saturday spend at Ichiraku to try to make her friend feel good about himself?</p>
<hr/><p>She dressed for comfort with only a little fashion. Strapless white top, violet long-sleeved cardigan, form fitting light blue jeans and comfy mulberry purple trainers.</p><p>When she heard the doorbell, assuming it was Naruto for their date, she threw her violet spaghetti strap handbag over her shoulder, ready to go.</p><p>"Hi Naruto, ready to go?" The Yamanaka greeted as soon the door was open before looking him over.</p><p>Black jeans, black t-shirt, black trainers but countered with a baggy, comfy looking bright orange zip up hoodie, the Uzumaki looked like the blueprint of the good looking boyfriend who would happily give you his hoodie to keep you warm but would then hug you anyway to make you laugh.</p><p>"Hi Ino! Here!" Naruto took out a full wildflower bouquet from behind his back. "I picked these for you cause I know how much you like flowers!"</p><p>"You picked these?" She asked as she took the small bundle of different coloured flowers from the boy with a small astounded expression.</p><p>The boy immediately looked put out and she hated that she did that to him, even if it was completely accidental.</p><p>"Was that bad?"</p><p>"Naruto don't be silly, they're-" she brought them up to her nose to take in the smell, they gave off a wild field's smell instead of a strong flowery one, further proof that he had picked them himself. She wondered how long it took him. "-They're beautiful. Let me just put these in some water."</p><p>She really wasn't going to be long, her parents owning a flower shop meant their house always had a vase or two sitting around, so it worked out perfectly when her father came out of the living room then.</p><p>"Daddy, you remember Naruto?"</p><p>Ino motioned to the boy before heading around the elder Yamanaka and going into the kitchen, luckily enough there was an empty vase right beside the sink.</p><p>"Naruto of course hello again."</p><p>She heard her father start before the distinct sound of a handshake.</p><p>"Hello Mr Yamanaka."</p><p>The ponytailed girl actually chuckled at that as she filled the vase with water from the tap. She had never heard Naruto be so polite before. It was really weird. She'd heard him have full screaming matches with Principal Tsunade before over the silliest of things, and it was hardly like he'd never met her dad before either.</p><p>"Alright let's go!" She gave a quick kiss to her dad's cheek. "Bye daddy!"</p><p>"Have fun petal."</p><p>When the younger blondes had left Ino immediately started veering left towards the nearest bus stop but stopped when Naruto took out keys from his pocket and started towards a small beat up green car parked outside her house.</p><p>"You have a car? I didn't know you could drive!"</p><p>"I just passed my test a few weeks ago and I've been saving to buy a car for nearly a year," he grinned, proud of himself, as he should have been. "I know it's pretty crappy looking but-"</p><p>"Hey no that's cool!" The Yamanaka input nearly skipping over to the passenger side. "A car's a car! That's cool Naruto!"</p><p>He gave a timid grin in reply. "Thanks, Ino."</p><p>When they got in and she took a look around the interior, it was true, the car was clearly a few decades old, but it didn't take away all the good things she had said.</p><p>"So where are you taking me today anyway?" She asked after getting used to seeing her friend in the driver seat, all excited but in control, it suited him.</p><p>"It's a surprise," he took a second to shoot her a grin making her laugh.</p><p>"Oh? Oh, alright then! But more importantly," the girl pointed to the buttons that activated the different radio stations. "Can I pick the tunes?"</p>
<hr/><p>They weren't driving all that long, really just the twenty minutes to get into the city centre and another five minutes to get parked.</p><p>"When are you going to tell me where I'm going?" Ino laughed as they walked around a corner. "You're never so secreti-"</p><p>"Surprise!"</p><p>She couldn't stop the confused laugh that bubbled out of her. "Naruto; this is a science museum. "</p><p>She found herself standing outside the Konohagakure Science Museum, a tall, old, very detailed whitewashed building which, according to the posters on either side of the doors, was holding a museum wide exhibit on all things human body and medical science related.</p><p>It looked fascinating to her, but she couldn't imagine that sort of thing to interest her friend.</p><p>"You don't like science. You don't even like science <em>class</em>."</p><p>He tapped his foot on the ground, embarrassed grin in place.</p><p>"No but, umm-"</p><p>"But Sakura does."</p><p>Both her and Sakura were taking advanced science classes in their final years of high school so they could go down the route to become doctors, they found the content fascinating, Sakura even more than her at times.</p><p>"And you!" His grin clearly displaying how torn he felt about Sakura turning him down flat for something he had obviously put thought into. "So that's good!"</p><p>She had to remove that distraught look from his face.</p><p>"Stick with me Naruto," the florist's daughter gave his arm a little tug towards the entrance. "Who knows, maybe you'll learn something!"</p>
<hr/><p>The museum was fascinating, they had already gone through a floor on the immune system and a floor on bones. What was even better? Naruto seemed to having fun too. Ino was thrilled he was getting as into the visit like she was, they had barely had a moments silence from how much they were talking, sometimes about the topics around them, other times about school or their friends or a few random memories that came to the surface.</p><p>"Blood floor?" Naruto read after they had finished the first two floors of the museum.</p><p>"Oh, that's cool!" Ino exclaimed happily opening the door. "Come on let's see what blood offerings they have!"</p><p>The museum had a lot of information and diagrams on blood, when Ino turned a corner and jumped a foot in the air at a life size adult sculpture with the heart, arteries and veins only showing Naruto laughed up a storm.</p><p>They even had a board with the recipe for black pudding on it making both blondes shoot disgusted looks at each other.</p><p>Eventually they came to a table that had a volunteer sitting behind it with a chair in front of it, beside him was a smaller table with lots of small pieces of card.</p><p>Naruto picked up one and Ino could see now the card had four red circles on it.</p><p>"What is it?"</p><p>"You see the four circles?" Ino started pointing to each in turn. "A, B, plus and minus? They are all blood indicators. It's a simple test to find out your blood type. They take a little bit of blood, swirl it around the card and whichever it reacts to means your blood has that in it."</p><p>"What's your blood type?" She asked, she looked up when Naruto looked sheepish. "You do know your blood type, right?"</p><p>The blonde boy scratched the back of his head then, his tell that he was bashful about something. "Umm no actually I don't."</p><p>"What? Naruto! What if something happened to you and you needed a blood transfusion? You should know that! Especially being on the soccer team! You get hurt all the time."</p><p>"Not <em>all</em> the time," he tried to argue but it was a weak rebuttal. "Do you know yours?"</p><p>"Of course! It's B+."</p><p>When Naruto looked like he was going to make up excuses to not do the test she planted her feet and stood her ground.</p><p>"No, you need to get this done."</p><p>The blonde boy looked at the table with the assistant then and when the assistant took the person sitting opposite his hand and nipped their forefinger just enough to bleed the Uzumaki comically paled.</p><p>"Don't tell me the fearless Naruto Uzumaki is scared of a little finger prick?"</p><p>"It'll <em>sting</em>."</p><p>Ino grinned at his childish pout.</p><p>"I'll tell you what, I'll get mine done first," she nudged his arm with her elbow. "I'll even hold your hand when you get yours done you big scaredy cat."</p><p>When he still didn't look convinced, she frowned lightly.</p><p>"I'm serious," the Yamanaka tried to convey how truly important it was with her expression and tone. "Naruto it's important."</p><p>"Okay," he smiled. "If you think it's important then I'll do it."</p><p>When Naruto sat down, after watching Ino not even blink through the ordeal, and the assistant started wiping down his finger he held out his other hand to her, she couldn't help but smile as she took his hand in both of hers.</p><p>"See that wasn't so bad," Ino commented with another nudge to his arm, holding his card as the boy continued to rub his pricked finger. "And now we know your blood type is B+ as well! If you ever need blood, I'm your girl!"</p><p>"You should keep it in your wallet," she said handing it back to him. "I think I'll keep mine in my purse as well."</p><p>"Wait a sec Ino."</p><p>Naruto took her card out of her hand before she could protest and then quickly took a pen from a nearby table.</p><p>He drew a smiley face at the corner of her card before handing it back to her.</p><p>"So, when you see it, you'll think of me."</p><p>Her heart melted; was he always this thoughtful?</p><p>With a teasing smile she took the pen out of his hand and held out her other.</p><p>"Gimmie your card."</p><p>She drew two small hearts at the corner of his card before handing it back to him.</p><p>When the soccer player saw what she had drawn he beamed making her own heart feel full.</p><p>"Let's go," she started after they both but away their blood type cards, and she linked her arm with his. "Let's see what else we can find!"</p>
<hr/><p>She heard Naruto's stomach rumble and it was like hers was trying to call back because she could feel her stomach grumble too.</p><p>"I'm starving! How about this we're nearly halfway through the museum, there's a cafe back on the ground floor, fancy getting something to eat and then we can do the second half?"</p><p>The Uzumaki looked so happy it made her laugh, the boy always thought with his stomach!</p><p>"That sounds great!"</p><p>Ino pointed her finger at him then making him blink. "And <em>I'm</em> buying the food."</p><p>"What? But Ino I-"</p><p>"You bought the museum tickets, it's only fair! Come on, let me treat you."</p><p>When was the last time anyone treated Naruto to anything?</p><p>The cafe only had a small selection of sandwiches, fizzy drinks, and candy bars but they were both so hungry the restaurant could have had flavoured cardboard and she would have happily eaten it.</p><p>"I didn't even realise how thirsty I was!" She laughed after finishing her entire bottle of juice in only a few gulps.</p><p>"Yea me neither," Naruto quickly jumped up with another bright grin. "I'll go get us more drinks!"</p><p>And as the boy went up to buy them another bottle of soda each Ino couldn't help but smile at her fortune.</p><p>She couldn't believe Sakura had given up the possibility of all this so she could continue to chase after Sasuke, and only a few months ago she would have done the same; she felt so silly.</p><p>The flower lover flicked her head up to watch Naruto again and her smile became serene.</p><p>Had this fantastic, selfless, entertaining boy really been sitting opposite her in class all these years and she hadn't noticed? Maybe she should book herself in for a vision test because she must be halfway to blind.</p>
<hr/><p>"My dad is going to be so confused when he sees me home so early," Ino laughed when Naruto parked the car right outside her house a few hours after their meal.</p><p>The rest of the day at the museum had been just as fun as the first half, her favourite part had to be when the boy put his hand into one of the holes in the wall, as part of the touch exhibit, to guess what was inside and whatever it was made him pull a disgusted face. Naruto would probably say the best part was when he started chasing her around with the fake skeleton making them both laugh until they couldn't breathe.</p><p>"I wanted to be respectful," he looked so nervous admitting that it was almost funny. "First date and everything," the Uzumaki lifted his eyes up to hers, bottom lip in his teeth. "Is that weird?"</p><p>"Oh, relax will ya? I'm just teasing! I love it, really."</p><p>She did, it was a far nicer feeling than guys taking her out just in the hopes that a cheap make out session would happen.</p><p>The Yamanaka got out of the car, with the intention of saying goodbye before she closed the door, and immediately laughed when he also got out.</p><p>"Just where are you going?"</p><p>Naruto gave her a disbelieving grin. "I'm walking you home."</p><p>That made her laugh harder. "Naruto it's like five meters away!"</p><p>"So?"</p><p>All she could do was roll her eyes as he came to walk beside her up the path. "Okay then mister gentleman," when they made it up her path, she took two very heavy-footed steps onto her doorstep and then grinned. "Well you did it Naruto, I'm safe at my door!"</p><p>Her friend's laugh really was a nice sound.</p><p>"I hope you had fun Ino."</p><p>"I did," she replied honestly, clasping her hands behind her back. "I had a fantastic time. I would really like to do it again."</p><p>His eyes lit up then. "You would?"</p><p>"Yea," Ino replied, and she was almost surprised by how much she meant it. "Yea I would." The flower lover grinned before throwing him a wink. "<em>If</em> you ask nicely of course!"</p><p>Before she could chicken out, and because Naruto looked so cute with that so happy smile, she placed a hand on his cheek and kissed him.</p><p>It was only a peck, but Naruto looked truly stunned when she pulled back.</p><p>The smile he donned then was so warm it could have melted ice.</p><p>"Goodnight Ino."</p><p>She smiled. "Goodnight Naruto."</p><p>The florist's daughter would have happily stood at the doorway and watched him until he drove off, but he seemed to anticipate this by standing beside his car, grinning, and pointing to show she should enter.</p><p>She giggled lightly at that, waved at him, and then entered her front door, leaning her back against the wood until she heard his car start and drive away.</p><p>"You're home earlier than I thought you would be," her dad commented as soon as she entered the living room.</p><p>"Naruto wanted to be a little old fashioned for a first date and have me home early, didn't know he had it in him."</p><p>"Well I can't say I'm going to complain," Inoichi commented lightly, flicking a page of the newspaper he was reading. "How was your day petal? Did you have fun?"</p><p>"Honestly daddy," Ino sighed happily slumping into the single chair's cushions. "It was wonderful."</p>
<hr/><p>"So; how was your date with Naruto? Yea, I heard about that," Sakura laughed when she leaned against the locker beside hers on Monday morning and Ino felt her teeth grind together, her hand gripping her locker door slightly harder. "I bet he-"</p><p>"He was lovely Sakura," Ino slammed her locker closed making Sakura's eyes go wide. "Adorable, thoughtful and caring. The best date I have ever been on."</p><p>Ino cocked her hip and flicked her ponytail over her shoulder, her friend missed out on an amazing, kind, energetic man, her loss was, happily, Ino's gain.</p><p>And when Ino liked her man, her man would <em>not</em> be bad mouthed around her.</p><p>"The whole day was like a dream and I plan on going on many more dates with him," she tilted her head with a raised eyebrow when her pink haired friend looked truly confused. "You lost out Sakura. You didn't know what you had in front of you."</p><p>"Now," Ino shook out her shoulders and smiled. "I'm away to find him. I'll see you later."</p><p>She didn't have to go far, the Uzumaki entered the school building through the main doors, just down the hall, with Sasuke in tow a moment later.</p><p>"Naruto!" Ino yelled, grin on her face, hand in the air and a spring in the step.</p><p>Her heart did a little skip when he positively beamed at her.</p><p>"Ino! Hi! How are-?"</p><p>The boy cut off to laugh when the girl swept him up in a hug, it was her turn to laugh when he picked her up and spun her.</p><p>"Naruto Uzumaki put me down!" She yelled through her laughter.</p><p>When the Yamanaka regained her balance when he put her down his laugh rang out through her ears sounding like verbal sunshine.</p><p>"Come on you," she tugged his hand towards first period. "Since you love science so much you don't want us to be late, do you?"</p><p>When he interlaced their fingers, she couldn't stop beaming.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>